The Star Wars Rumor Zone - Extra Edition

Okay, for those of you who like rumors, here’s another trip into rumor land… and yes, it’s THAT rumor again. Only with new details and one additional new source reported by different people! So click through for more, if you want to know the latest Star Wars rumors!

Yes, THAT rumor…

Okay… so this is once again about the Kathleen Kennedy situation at Lucasfilm!

Only this time there are (apparently) a few different sources. First, let’s recap what YouTube personalities Kamran Pasha (still an actual (ex) Hollywood screenwriter) and Overlord DVD (an entertainer with an octopus plushie wearing a fez in a jar) report in their latest rumor report…

They say the five managers/executives sent by Bob Iger to Lucasfilm are still running things. Kathleen Kennedy is on extended (neverending) leave and while still president in name, someone with zero power now.

According to Pasha’s alleged source, super secret agent “Sparrow”, we now also know why Kathleen Kennedy is still with us after all these years… allegedly there is a clause in her contract that makes it impossible for Disney to fire her, unless on grounds of moral wrongdoing (i.e. she commits an actual crime). They speculate (NOT part of the rumor) that maybe even Lucas himself wanted that clause, when he still believed Kennedy would be an ally and protect his legacy. This was meant to prevent Disney from replacing her shortly after the merger and put someone in place who will disneyfy Star Wars.

What this speculation does not explain is why Kennedy’s contract was renewed three times since the merger, in 2015, 2018 and 2021. 2015 and 2018 make sense, but by 2021 things had already fallen apart.

They keep on speculating and believe Disney, aka Iger, may want to find some dirt on Kennedy, so they can pull the morals clause in her contract and fire her. And again “The Acolyte” is used here since they still insist there are financial irregularities about this show that may actually constitute a crime. And they also claim, the show is “cancelled”.

Ok, that’s basically it… but then there are also people like WDWPro, some faceless person who used to run a website/blog and has a history of posting supposed leaks and rumors about Disney and Star Wars. He was right about a few things in the past, for example he was one of the first to report Kennedy will get a contract extension in 2021, when everyone on YouTube was still hoping she would not.

And according to WDWPro’s sources (no codenames) Kennedy has agreed NOT to have her contract renewed, which will expire in late 2024. But that she will NOT be fired, in fact they report none of the crazy rumors Kamran Pasha et al talk about.

According to WDWPro and his sources Kennedy is now trying to negotiate for her golden parachute. The rumors say she wants executive producer title (which basically means just money for nothing, an EP title can be anything, it can mean you did something for the movie, it can mean you are the director’s brother or sister who wants to buy a new house and needs money) for at least two (Star Wars) movies. But she wants more… she wants actual creative input / control over two movies.

Now it is speculated that this is Kennedy’s attempt to save her Rey movie. And that all she REALLY wants is just creative control over one movie and that her wanting “two movies” is just the first move in her negotiations. The negotiations are supposed to take place in August this year, so in about a month from now, not between Iger and Kennedy directly, but between lawyers and representatives.

They further speculate that this may also be Kennedy’s way of saving face, i.e. that she is allowed on set as “creative consultant”, similar  to how George Lucas visits Star Wars sets from time to time, as an attempt to save her legacy.

There is another rumor though… allegedly Jon Favreau was offered the “Creative Director” position at Lucasfilm. It is unknown whether or not he accepted, according to the rumor. What is curious about this is that Dave Filoni holds that position currently.

If we assume that the sources cited by the YouTubers are not the same person, then there would be two at least now who say that Kennedy is basically gone. Only the details differ substantially… one party constructs this over the top corporate thriller, the other party just says, yes, Kennedy agreed not to seek an extension for her contract, but no drama, she will just leave but hopes to still maintain some power over Star Wars or at least to have the illusion of that, similar to George Lucas who has zero actual power, but is consulted by a few directors and writers every now and then, just to ask for general input.

If any of those rumors is even remotely true then almost certainly just the WDWPro version. Which sounds “sane” and actually quite realistic. Even the most delusional person should realize after the Willow disaster, after the Indy 5 box office bomb and after running the Star Wars sequels into the ground that maybe it’s time for a graceful exit after all, before Disney ACTUALLY fires her.

Now that doesn’t mean this version of the rumor is any more true. As usual we would only know if sometime in late 2024 Lucasfilm gets a new president.

The only real chance of learning the truth is if actual Hollywood trades would report something, since they would only write anything if they have actual, credible sources and tangible proof, they wouldn’t just speculate away to gain clicks or sell more magazines. And as of now there are ZERO reports by any of the trades about Kennedy potentially not extending her contract in 2024.

So again, don’t hold your breath. You should definitely wait for reports by actual trade magazines and not put too much trust in YouTubers. But the rumors are ongoing and won’t go away this time, and there is always a chance people like WDWPro have actual insider contacts at Lucasfilm. And maybe there is even a slim chance super secret agent Sparrow exists. But maybe he or she should snort less substances. Just a guess… it could be true, all of it… but then again… well… maybe not…

What is fact is that Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny will be one of THE worst box office disasters for Disney ever. Rivalling John Carter or The Lone Ranger. Back when Disney had a perfect one, two punch of box office bombs in 2012 and 2013. In fact, The Lone Ranger made even less money than John Carter. John Carter made $284 million worldwide in 2012, which is $377 million in 2023 dollars. As of right now Indiana Jones 5 is projected to end up with a total box office of $370-$380 million worldwide. But it cost even more than John Carter to make.

So if the studio president and producer responsible for this agrees to make her graceful exit in 2024, with a golden parachute even, it would only make sense. But then again… not all things make sense in Hollywood. Especially in 2023.

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